When to transplant??

[Reedo5]

My first year starting seeds inside an im wondering when an how do you know when to transplant your seedlings? Here are mine now

Squash

Tomato

Cucumbers

Cauliflower, broccoli, tomato

Marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers

 

[Danif123]

Before transplanting you will need to harden off your seedlings. You can do this by moving them outside in the sun for an hour the first day, 2 the second and so on. This will avoid sun scald on your plants because the sun is so much stronger than grow lights and adjust them to the change in temps and wind. I would start hardening off when temps are above freezing. Things like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant are not cold hardy so I usually wait till night time temps won't be below 50. Brassicas can usually handle a little bit of a frost. Its a good idea to know your last frost date for your area. When it gets close watch the 10 day forecast make sure it won't go below freezing this is usually a good time to start. If you get a sudden cold snap and already transplanted them you can try covering them with something like harvest guard until its passed.

 

[derBauer]

Before transplanting you will need to harden off your seedlings. You can do this by moving them outside in the sun for an hour the first day, 2 the second and so on. This will avoid sun scald on your plants because the sun is so much stronger than grow lights and adjust them to the change in temps and wind. I would start hardening off when temps are above freezing. Things like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant are not cold hardy so I usually wait till night time temps won't be below 50. Brassicas can usually handle a little bit of a frost. Its a good idea to know your last frost date for your area. When it gets close watch the 10 day forecast make sure it won't go below freezing this is usually a good time to start. If you get a sudden cold snap and already transplanted them you can try covering them with something like harvest guard until its passed.

Harden them off and when it warm enough for them and they have true leaves then you can plant them. Although you may want to wait longer.

 

[Reedo5]

Ok well it definitely wont be warm enough here for few more wks, with there size now should i move them to bigger containers?

 

[Danif123]

I wouldn't move them yet the ones in the 2x2 cells should be good for for a few weeks probably can get away without repotting and just transplant directly from those. The smaller cells you might have to move out in a week or two depending on growth. I would look at the roots, not yet but when they get bigger. If you want to move the tomatoes that have two in a cell transplant one into a different cell only leave one in there or just thin it out completely same for the cauliflower maybe you could keep two but i would thin out a couple on those.

 

[Reedo5]

Alrighty ill do some separating an thining the weather an garden will prolly be ready im think 2nd or 3rd week of May

 

[Danif123]

You can type into google average last frost date for and then put your zip this will give you a rough estimate when its ok to start planting things into your garden. From there look at your forecast and see if you will have cold nights if so wait if the weather looks good it should be safe to plant but the weather has been crazy lately so it is an unpredictable thing. Some things like your cauliflower can tolerate colder temps then tomatoes, peppers, eggplant

 

[derBauer]

Leave them until they have tight roots

 

[Reedo5]

Leave them until they have tight roots

Leave them as in dont move them to bigger pots or to garden

 

[Rooapalooza]

I would leave them all except the cucumbers and sunflowers. I have had a hard time transplanting both for some reason. I would put them in peat/paper pots.

Don't rush the heat-lovers outside (tomatoes, squash, etc). I have lost many plants to very late surprise freezes. Better safe than sorry.